Etsian serendipity

 I've sometimes met people who had previously been unknown to me aside from an "online" alias, whether it's being introduced to a friend of a friend I've already encountered on facebook, or meeting with up the talented members of the Etsy craftyirelandteam.


Very recently I've had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Etsian, Lisa Falzon, also known as Meluseena. Since I started my own Etsy shop in 2009, I have admired Meluseena's gorgeous art work, and had featured it in both my own and the craftyirelandteam blog. Earlier this year my sister Ruth secretly commissioned a special painting of "Snow White and Rose Red" by Meluseena for my 30th birthday, and I absolutely love it! It was the perfect present.

In the completely Etsy free side of my life, I joined Cork's roller derby league this month (the fabulous Rebel County Rollers), and on my first day of training I was introduced to Lisa, who I immediately recognised as Meluseena herself! How exciting! I am delighted to make a real life link with yet another Etsy artist, and especially glad that Lisa is just such a lovely person to know :) She even brought me a little present at training on Sunday, which is a beautiful pendant printed with the Snow White and Rose Red picture. How thoughtful!

So, I just want to say a big thank you to Lisa/Meluseena for the gift, and also invite you all to take a look at her amazing Etsy shop. Here are some gorgeous examples of original work by this talented artist.

Featured:
The Peckish Moon large print
Queen Elizabeth cuff bracelet
Ann Boleyn pocket art mirror
Jumpin Jack Me lustre print

I know it's only August, but...

Ok so Halloween is still two months away, but won't be long coming, believe me! I must admit I have already started to think about this year's costume, but I haven't made anything yet as I'm torn between two ideas.

What about you? Do any of you already have plans for this year? A costume you've always wanted to do, a party you're having, a special event you're going to?

And the most important question... what will you dress up as?

If you go down to the woods today...

... you probably won't find me! Not this week at least. You're more likely to find me shopping! Being a  teacher I tend to think of Autumn as the beginning of the year, and so it often feels like the time to start fresh. When I was younger that meant shiny school shoes and a snazzy new pencil case, (it still means both of those things actually!) but this year I'm thinking of re-vamping bits of the house as well, for a new start! I want to do up my bedroom, but of course there are a few things in there I'll always keep...

These are all parts of my room that I love. I probably have too many treasures really, and I realise this every time I move house, though it never stops me gathering pretty bits and bobs!

I really like this forest fairytale part of my room, though I know if it grows and takes up any more of the place it'll look way to cartoony and girly! Since dressing up as Snow White last year I've daydreamed about living in a cottage in the woods. I probably won't add any more woodland touches to my current house, but if I move to the forest here are a few things I'd definitely take with me!

(Incidentally, the Snow White and Rose Red print by meluseena was actually commissioned especially for lucky me! My sister Ruth knew I loved Lisa Falzon/meluseena's work and had it designed for me for my 30th birthday. How sweet! x)

Featured items:
Snow White and Rose Red Print by meluseena
Tiny Gnome Village by MoontsyandFloontsy
Poison Apple Button Bracelet by magpieandbutton
Tiny Ivy Leaf Necklace by SilkstoneDesigns
Little Red Riding Hood Print by elsita
Forest Mushrooms Silk Lined Clutch Bag by Bagnoir
White Tree Silhouette Pillow Cover by Modernality
Woodland Acorn Necklace by designbirdie

So... who wants to move in with me? ;)

Halloween Party

Wow, what a great party!

We had over 25 people in the end, which was perfect! Everyone made a great effort with costumes, and there was a huge variety. We ended up with a bit of a fairytale theme, with me as Snow White, Zoe as Rapunzel, Vanessa as Red Riding Hood, Claire as Dead Riding Hood, and Conor as the wolf! Great fun.

At the last minute I got some gold heart jewellery to finish off my outfit, and accessorised with my bluebird and a sparkly apple Christmas decoration! It wasn't very tasty, and possibly was really poisonous...

I followed the makeup instructions on Michelle Phan's Youtube video exactly, and I think I got the Snow White look pretty much right. I wore red glitter lipgloss over candy red lipstick to really set of the pale skin and rosy cheeks. I did have to keep re-applying though, but it was worth it :)

We made the Tru:Blood very successfully, and though it tasted a bit like Benylin, it was pretty good! We made six bottles, labelled up to look like the real ones, and then refilled from the giant jug of mixture we'd made. It was rasperry vodka with grape juice and a dash of cherry soda. It looked perfect! Ruth also made up a tiny vial of "V juice", which was really one of her contact lens bottles filled with red food colouring. Mmmm!

Here I am making my best Snow White face! See my lil birdy?!

Happy Halloween!

I can't wait for Halloween this Saturday. This year we'll have our sixth annual costume party!

We've been gathering decorations and making our costumes for weeks now, and the invitations have all been sent out. Every year, people make more and more effort with costumes, so this year is going to be fantastic! Alot of people will make their outfits, or cobble together bought and found bits and pieces to come up with something great. Or creepy. Or hilarious. Or downright terrifying!

We also usually have a themed cocktail or punch, and this year the drink of the night will HAVE to be Tru:Blood! Ruth and I have been researching the right bottles to use and I'm going to print out the label templates I found here. Yay! We're making a mixture of raspberry vodka, grape juice, cherryade and red food colouring. Mmmm. I'll post pictures when we have it made and bottled.

Now, back to the costumes! I'm Snow White this year, and my costume is just about finished. My mom and Ruth pretty much made the dress for me, and I've sourced and made all my accessories. (The perfect black wig; red hairbow; blue princess shoes; a lil bluebird to perch on my finger; and of course a flawless red apple)

I have to figure out the best way to create the doe eyes, innocent face though! I think the makeup is really important fo bring the elements of a costume together! This is the look I'll practice tonight - I think it could work really well :)

The last thing I need to do is make some cute apple themed jewellery for myself. I'd love to find a red enamel apple charm that I could use in either earrings or a pendant. If not, I do have some juicy little red beads that will look sweet put with a little silver bow, or maybe some blue crystals to match in with the colours of the dress. I was also thinking of making a little detail for the fronts of my shoes, either beaded or just a fabric bow. Pretty pretty pretty!